CPI-M cadre burn down CITU office, angry CITU men attack mall

Kolkata, March 1 (IANS) Activists of Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the labour wing of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Sunday attacked a mall here after their party office was set ablaze allegedly by some Marxist cadre, CITU members said. “An intra-party conflict over putting up a hoarding outside City Centre Mall at Salt Lake City was going on for about a month between local CPI-M and CITU supporters. Around 4 a.m., Sunday, about 50 goons of CPI-M came in a Matador and set our party office near the mall on fire,” Pratik Biswas, a CITU activist, told reporters.

“No one was injured in the fire, but important documents, two laptops and other valuables were completely destroyed,” he added.

Biswas alleged those who set fire to the office were given instructions by local CPI-M leader Niloy Ghosh.

Ghosh, however, denied the charge and said local goons committed the crime.

“I am not involved in the incident. It was local criminals who set the office on fire…they were having problems with the CITU auto-drivers over weekly ransom,” Ghosh said.

Meanwhile, reacting to the arson, CITU supporters tore down and broke all hoardings outside the mall. They even tried to break glasses of the ground floor showrooms facing the road. The situation was brought under control around 5.30 p.m. after police intervention.